The Lost Continent
by Iron Observer
Summary: When the monster lord was killed by the hero Luka, it threw the world into chaos. With nobody to defend them monsters were hunted by an army of man and angel, a band of survivors head south to Ilias continent. What will happen when they discover an island in the fog off the east coast? Based off the bad ending of part 2, setting is inspired by the unmentioned island east of Ilias.
1. Prologue The End Of An Empire

Irony... a funny yet dejecting term, it was ironic how far she had come with only one possible option. Ironic how far she had travelled in her last few months, gaining new friends and memories when she knew it would end this way. Pathetic that she thought even for a second it could have ended with anything but her death.

As she felt the cold numbing sting of the sword enter her, its iron moving through her midriff like a stone through water she felt her life begin to fade. The life she had known from a young age would need to be extinguished to in order to preserve the current state of the world, the delicate relationship between monsters and the humans was that their god would let the few monsters exist is their lord was sacrificed. He mother had know this better then anyone and had bought her kind a bit more time with her sacrifice, history always had a history of repeating itself in this funny world of theirs.

She slid off the end of the sword as it was withdrawn, her stomach releasing a torrent of crimson liquid as she collapsed to the stone floor. Her vision rapidly dwindling and her mind going blank she turned over onto her side. The sound of the sword clattering on the ground drew her attention to the back of her executioner and one time travelling partner as he made his final steps into the portal that would no doubt take him to eternal paradise. She smiled bitterly as the soft glowing sphere engulfed the purple haired youth and then vanished. It had been her request of the hero of Ilias continent to end her, she knew it couldn't have been too easy for him as they had grown into friends over the weeks they journeyed. She was proud of him and how far he had come, even if she wished she could have had a life with him instead of watching him leave her behind for dead. With a dejected smile she let her eyes close, the pain in her body fading until she could barely feel it at all. With a final breath the sixteenth monster lord breathed her last.

The news of the monster queens death spread throughout the island like a fire, all the way from her closest friends and guardians to the monsters hundreds of miles away. The only thing they could rally under had now been taken from them, and for the first time they were without protection themselves

The though behind the fallen monster lord's ideal of sacrifice to preserve coexistence was extinguished in the harshest of ways. The humans of of the southern most land had taken the news of the death of the monster lord Alipheese Fateburn XVI as an incentive to start war. Bolstered by legions of Angels and engineered monsters from their underground labs they swept the north. Hellgondo was completely destroyed as the few remaining monsters fled south by the coast of Sentora, the largest mass in question was in an all out state of civil war. Former monsters and humans living in peace going to war with each other, the former only able to hold a shaky defence against the nigh indestructible angelic forces.

In a strange twist of fate the only safe place for most monsters was on the eastern coast of the continent Ilias, the home of most monster hating tribes had been nearly vacated as the armies marched north. The massive and sprawling forests of the continent serving as the last veil of protection for the monsters as they're world burned. It was here that the last remnants of Hellgondo hid, it is here that our story started.


	2. Chapter 1 A Bleak Future

The forest was oddly quiet that night, as it had been ever since they had arrived. The branches of massive trees once renowned for dancing in the ocean breeze hung like the hair of a corpse against their trunks. The fire they had lit in the small clearing painted them with an eerie ember light, illuminating them like otherworldly tombstones. The harpies and other native monsters had not appeared since they reached the forest days ago, content to let this new group settle in without issue.

Leaning against and among the solemn trees near the fire was a battered and weary group of monsters. A small group of various weaker species such as slimes and beast based monsters, a few injured strong breeds such as vampires and snake people, and at the top of the chain of command the disgraced royal guard. The four maidens who had dedicated their lives to protecting the monster lord, though not blamed for the queens death they still loathed their inability to alter her fate.

The group of leaders consisted of the strongest monsters of their kind, the queens of the slime and succubus race, an elder nine tailed fox, and a dragonkin swords woman. All of them had stayed in Hellgondo longer then any other monster native to the northern island, but even their insane strength had been taxed. Forced to withdraw they found new purpose in shepherding the remaining members of their respective kinds to safety for as long as possible. Though their efforts are noble, the moral of the group among followers and leaders lowers. more and more each passing day.

Idly running a rock over the edge of her blade in an attempt to sharpen it, the dragonkin Granberia let her view drift across their band of survivors. Her and her sister had managed to survive the inferno in Hellgondo at a high price, they all left a part of themselves behind on that wretched continent. Erubetie the queen of slimes had gathered the few surviving members of her kind and took them into her own body to ensure their survival, having doubted the human hero from the start she had refrained from commenting and only grimly watched the horizon. Tamamo the queen of the kitsune or fox people held her head in her hands, a normally cheerful person...the loss of her adoptive daughter had shattered her entire world. While a good many of her tribe had survived, basic orders and jobs had fallen to her lieutenants as the queen found herself incapable of anything but bitter mourning. Alma Elma the unofficial leader of the wild succubus race tried her best to comfort the grieving mother, her kind all but destroyed as the most hated race of Ilias. Though she ran a hand over the shorter woman's shoulder and spoke soft words, the dragon could sense the hatred most unbecoming of her directed to the long gone human child.

As for Granberia herself she simply did what she had to do to pass the day, fights with human patrols and duels with half crazed rival monsters for the little remaining food their was. Her guilt over her failure to protect her queen and friend the sole driving factor in keeping herself from falling on her own sword days ago. Though constantly painted with a facade of power and confidence, she was actually one of the weakest emotionally of her friends. Her respect for Alipheese had gone beyond admiration for a lord, she had been like a sister and now she was gone.

They were practically out of supplies, and driven to the farthest part of the land from their home. Their situation if not already hopeless was incredibly dire as the fact that the humans would return eventually weighed on every monsters mind. They had made contact with the native creatures of the northern Ilias forest to no avail, they're own lack of supplies meant they could be of no help to Granberia's band. They would more then likely all perish if a miracle did not happen soon.

The dragon chided herself as she managed to reach some vague resemblance of the blades original sharp edge. "Miracles don't happen here, that dam kid is proof of that...with his stupid talk of coexistence only serving to lower our defences" she thought miserably as she watched the flames, the glare of their light reflected by her orange eyes. She sheathed her blade and got up from her spot in the grass, it was her turn to do the night patrol. As she passed her sisters she patted the fox on the shoulder and gave a smile to the succubus. Reaching the edge of the glade she shook the hand of the slime queen before heading out into the jungle. Her and Erubetie as the two strongest monster currently capable of fighting shared this duty alternating each night.

Waling between the corpse like trees and overgrown shrubs she let her mind wander further, to her own experience with the human or Luka as she had once called him. She was the first of the guardians to meet him back on Ilias, she would have killed him had it not been for the interference of Alipheese. She had trusted her queen to guard him and test his strength, they battled several times before their final battle in the castle on Hellgondo. He had been too strong for her then with his combination of sword skills and spirit infused magic. Her thoughts quickly turned to the elemental spirits native to their land before shutting the thoughts out. She had not know why the spirits stuck with the treacherous human, they had a direct link to his mind. They knew he would kill the queen and yet they still aided him, even aiding him in his final attack of lord Fateburn.

Growling as she made her way further and further into the network of trees she stopped, noticing in her recollections she had gotten turned around in the forest. Sighing she turned in a wide circle to take in her surroundings, she had gone just a little over a mile from home base and yet everything looked so different. Sniffing the air it smelled more salty then before, had she wandered closer to the coast then estimated? The coast led to practically only to the Harpy village and the wall of fog beyond that, there was absolutely no threat of a human attack from this direction unless the humans dared defy their beliefs. Some hogwash about the eastern sea beyond the continent being cursed and any man who dared venture there would be killed if not by the sea then Ilias herself. Superstition aside this aided them because it meant this was one of the last few safe spots on the map.

She turned as she prepared to head back into the forest a loud crash made her jump, turning mid stride and drawing her sword she heard a rabid screech followed by a higher pitched scream of terror. Rushing in the direction of the sound the sword woman burst into another clearing, before he what looked like the remains of a roper based monster assaulting a young injured harpy. The roper once an infamous monster of flesh and tendrils was now a drooling starving beast, her mind clouded to the point she saw her own kind as food. It very well my have been this that drove her mad Granberia thought sadly as she drew her sword and stepped between the two.

The consumption of monster flesh by another monster had the same effect as human flesh did on humans, it clouded and degraded the mind to utter insanity. Another potent side effect was the degrading effect it had on the monster body. Whatever the reason for its insanity Granberia had to save the child from being consumed, she drew her battered blade and held it aloft. "Do not make me do this" she growled at the roper, the beast did nothing but respond with a guttural growl and lunge. Sighing the dragonkin swung her sword in a high arc, she released her internal flames to ignite the blade as it met the roper's skin. The once proud monster screamed in pain before exploding into dust and fire.

The swords woman ran a hand down her neck before sliding the sword into its sheath at her waist, adjusting her scarred armour she turned to the young harpy. The child's condition was poor but not due to malnutrition it would seem, her wing had suffered a bad scar at her wrist, she would not be able to fly for some time. The dragon knelt down to look the child in the eye and smiled "What are you doing out here kid, you could have got killed if I hadn't been here". The child wiped away tears and gave a nervous look "I...I was just out looking for supplies...for the trip". The dragon raised an eyebrow, who would dare want to leave the forest now?

"Kid I am sorry to say it may not be the best time for a trip, the area outside the woods is not safe" she chided before grabbing the kid around the midriff. The child gave a small yelp as Granberia laid her over he shoulder, they're eyes met and the swords woman sighed "Which way to your house I will get you home". Several minutes later they reached the outside gates of the harpy village, the battered wooden posts signalling the end of the forest path. Making her way along the silent path into the town heart Granberia made took of all the dark and empty buildings, turning her head to face the child she raised an eyebrow "Where is everyone"?

The child rubbed her wings together uncomfortably as her eyes raced, as if she was having some internal debate. "At the cliffs...but mama said not to go there right now. They are having a town meeting" the child said quickly before she hooped of Granberia as the dragon stooped outside a pointed out house. The child waved a goodbye before disappearing back into the home. Though she wanted to check on the child and make sure she would be alright she forced herself to turn. She still had a patrol to finish and her own troop to look after.

The rest of the night passed relatively quietly, she made it to the edge of the forest facing the distant town of Iliasburg...still empty for the moment. She had contemplated raiding it in the armies absence but that would only serve to alert the humans to their position when they did return. Instead she simply pushed back into the dark embrace of the spooky forest and aimed for camp. As she saw the familiar glow of the fire in the distance she allowed herself to relax, the fight earlier had strained her more then she would have liked to admit. They had all been injured to some degree in the monster lords castle, Granberia herself had been the worse injured being a close range fighter, she didn't know long it would take her to recover fully. She grimaced as she made her way past the sleeping form of her sisters and the other monsters. Collapsing back alongside her tree she allowed sleep to claim her. Her dreams filled with the sad smiling face of her lost lord and friend.


	3. Chapter 2 A New Hope In The Mist

Rising with a start to the sound of chatter in the camp Granberia made a quick move for her sword and groaned in pain, her aching body even more sore from a night of sleeping on the ground. She blinked a few times to try and clear her vision, she was surprised to see everyone gathered around the fire. Even Tamamo who normally never left her rock was standing among the tightly packed crowd. Rising painfully from the ground she made her way to the excitedly chattering group.

As she neared the outer rim she noticed Alma Elma turn her head to look in Granberia's direction, "Hey Granberry over here" she said playfully as she made a small spot next to her in the circle. The dragon took her place with a frown, for a time that nickname only served to anger her...but now it brought pain of watching her once cheerful friend attempt in vain to still boost the moral of the group. Looking into the circle to see what had everyone so curious he shoo her head socked. Standing on the stones around the burnt out fire was a battered harpy, her crown and distinct aura familiar to the dragonkin as the Queen of the harpy race. The older harpy smiled as she noticed the last guardian join the meeting "Hello there Knight, glad to see you could finally join us". Feeling her face flush with blood she looked away in embarrassment, the queen laughed before facing Tamamo.

She smiled and turned her head "I am here to offer you a place on our migration, normally this something that we don't offer to outsiders of the tribe...but the saving of one of our young ones last night has led us to believe that maybe it is appropriate to give up our secret as our world is ending". She stared directly at the kitsune queen before she gave a nod of her head "If your band would so kind as to meet us in our village as soon as possible I would be most appreciative". With that the harpy flapped her wings taking off into the sky.

As the rest of their troop began to discuss this new revelation Granberia turned to her sisters "What place do those bird brains honestly think could be any safer then here right now, the rest of the world is a minefield for our kind". Erubetie rubbed her arm before chiming in "While I do find in rather silly to think that fleeing our current sanctuary is smart, I think it would not hurt to at least see what the harpies have to show us". The four conserved for some time before finally informing the band of monsters that they were moving out.

In the time it took the monsters to reach the harpy settlement the sun was already growing dim behind the approaching wall of clouds. It would seem a storm had decided to come their way, and this one looked like it would probably be bad. Granberia rubbed her shoulders as her and they moved further into the cold forest towards the coast, being part reptile was bad enough in this kind of weather but the fact that her her reptilian armour only covered her legs and forearms didn't help. Like all monsters she shared many characteristics with the humans she hated so much, the only non human thing about her particularly was her scales and tail. Other monsters got away with remaining their primal form...but they were rare and few between these days. Shivering in the ocean breeze she trudged onwards until she noticed the kitsune she had been trailing behind stop.

They had reached the sea, the vast swirling blue before them only halted by the impossible wall of fog in the distance. To their groups left the small band of harpies moved to greet them, Granberia was sad to see that despite the isolation only a few of the original population remained. The queen harpy moved and shook the hand of Tamamo who acted as their improvised leader in the absence of Alipheese. "I am glad you were able to make it, honestly if you would have taken much longer then we would have had to leave you" she said sadly and shook her head "The opening is only present for a short time". Raising an eyebrow the elder fox asked cautiously "What opening, why is it you brought us here"?

As if by some miracle of timing as the kitsune finished her question the sun made a last surprisingly strong beam push through the cloud layer. The beam pierced the fog across the water and in a shocking visual show actually pierced through to some degree. The area beyond the wall was frothing as the powerful currents worked the waves, something in the distance oddly static amongst the moving sea. As Granberia slit her eyes in an attempt to sharpen her vision she gasped, in the far distance was the shores of another landmass. And island of medium size by the looks of it, a third larger then fairy island back on Sentora perhaps.

Tamamo managed to close her mouth long enough to stammer "Since when has there been an island out there, I have lived for hundreds of years and even I never knew of this". The queen harpy stepped up beside the fox and frowned "It has been a legend in our tribe for many years, the lost continent in the waves...the land the world forgot". Granberia continued to stare out at the distant island as the harpy continued "We have never actually set foot here ourselves, but legend tell of a land to dangerous for man or monster to occupy, a land the goddess herself fears to tread". The rest of the harpies joined them at the edge as the sun contained to illuminate the forgotten world, "the legends of our people speak of creatures forgotten by man and monster, they're might was said to be so powerful they shook the earth.

Only half listening to the story Granberia began to feel a small glimmer of hope return to her heart, a land mass that was only rarely visible, an island in the one place humanity would never go...a aplace to start a new life. She climbed back down to reality as the harpy queen suddenly grew serious "We need to go as soon as possible, we can fly through the storm but unfortunately my flock is too weak to carry your crew... I am sorry but you will find your way through in the rocks down below". With that she rose into the air and began to lead her flock towards the distant angry clouds and mist.

Tamamo looked down the sheer rock face to the waves below, nestled between two jagged points laid a makeshift raft that looked a good hundred years old. Made of large tree trunks held together with strong vines, it was amazing it had survived the battering waves. Staring at it like it was the last thing she wanted to trust her life to Granberia turned when she heard a Harpy call out from the distance "You guys may want to hurry...I can see the end of the forest from here and it looks like a large force of humans is on their way back"! With a last panicked squawk she turned tail feathers and flew after her village.

The group sat in silence before they exploded into panic, they fought and writhed over each other like furious snakes in an effort to start down the cliff. Only when the voice of Tamamo rang out did they stp fighting and all look at her, fuming a bit and her ears red he fox sighed "Everyone down the cliff face in pairs, hold onto your partner and you will reach the bottom". With the orders set the group began their way down the slope, Granberia was partnered with Erubetie which proved a bit difficult as holding onto a slime was harder then gripping a wet soap bar. After much struggling, bickering, and moping the group of thirty or so monsters managed to make it to the raft, the ominous slope of rock above them much scarier from below then from above. With little choice and no home to go back to they sadly climbed on board, clinging to the aged and weakened bark like a life preserver they cast off.

The minute they reached more then thirty feet off the land the sea came alive, the ocean roared as it began to batter their flimsy boat. Granberia honestly had to secure her blade between the notch in a piece of wood to stop herself from flying off the crud ship, her sisters had all similarly anchored themselves in an attempt to provide a safe secure place in the raft center for their remaining family. They rowed and rowed with all their strength they had left...but the sea was more powerful then the monsters. The ocean currents dragged them out to sea so fast and chaotically they could not make out their surroundings.

After what felt like hours of fighting the sea Granberia opened her eyes a tiny bit, to her relief the island was within sight. Its jagged sides anchored amongst a minefield of spear tip like rocks, the shape of the island almost gave her a vibe of the mountains that encircled Hellgondo. Breaking off her sword from the ship she attempted to use it to paddle in the water, the others did their best to help to little effect.

Just as it would seem they would pull themselves into the rocks and about of the open sea they felt the raft tugged backwards, accompanied by several cries of absolute horror the raft was caught again in the current and pulled away from the island. As their one hope began to fall away the group once again descended into utter chaos, monsters running around the deck in sadness. Reaching out for the fading island with cries of utter defeat, the merciless roar of the ocean drowned them out as a heavy layer of rain began to batter the from above.

Looking back towards the island Granberia saw that the beam of light from above was beginning to fade, the wall of fog was beginning to sweep back in. Sitting down on the wood in utter defeat the dragonkin actually felt the sting of tears reach her cheeks, "we were so close...so close to freedom" she thought in as her tears turned into full on crying. Even the normally stone faced slime queen and succubus queen wept bitterly as their only hope was nearly completely consumed by the fog. Closing her eyes and bringing her hands to her face the dragon wept, she wept against her own wishes in pure terror. Their only companion the clap of thunder and groan of the ocean.

After several minutes of being pulled along another sound reached the dragonkin's ears, a sound she had never heard anything like before. An unearthly echoing howl that seemed to come from the sea itself, the storm itself silent as if in awe if the phenomenal sound that dared eclipse it. She lowered her hands to observe the world around her, some monsters were pointing back in the direction that they had been swept away from. To her amazement the shadow of something truly massive was sliding beneath the waves towards them.

The creature was so massive that by the time is pulled beside their raft Granberia's estimate was in the range of sixty to seventy feet, it easily dwarfed their raft in size. The shadow kept pace with them before several moments before releasing that unearthly howl again. It dove deeper and for several minutes it was no longer in sight, she heard one of the younger kitsune begin to speak up when they were all thrown off their feet.

Their raft was all of a sudden speeding in the direction of the unknown island, they skipped over the waves so fast that they had to put all their strength into holding on. Granberia checked over the edge to see whatever the shadows directly under the raft, they were riding atop its back. The island very quickly came back into sight as they raced around its perimeter, avoiding the majority of the jagged rocks the monsters could only hold their breath. The shadow beneath them slowed for a moment as they rounded a corner into some sort of calm alcove in the rock face, the water much less turbulent and the rain at least kept out by the overhead stone roof. The group stared up into a ceiling of absolutely enormous stalagmites, hanging over them like the teeth of some giant undiscovered predator.

They thoughts were shattered when all of a sudden they stopped moving forward, the raft sat quietly in the water a few dozen feet from the shore when the world turned upside down. The creature beneath them had either breached or stood up as their raft was lifted high into the air then dropped, as Granberia collapsed into the water she felt her body reach the absolutely freezing point. Her vision fading and already battered body over taxed she drifted in unconsciousness as the water rushed to fill her nose and lungs.


	4. Chapter 3 Legend Of The Jagged Isle

(Hey Guys, sorry for the short chapter this time, its also a bit exposition cramped, just trying to fit some of the lore of chapter 3 into the story since in this scenario chapter 3 in non canon. Luka ran of with Ilias so he never met Micaela and was told the story of the planet)

The dark sky outside the window was momentarily illuminated, the electric storm lighting the world as the following thunder shook the world around the sleepy village. The wind from the storm was so strong against the trees that they shook, smaller branches breaking away and disappearing into the murky sky. In a village hidden among the forests of Ilias someone watched the storm, a women of whose only notable features were her glum expression and flowing golden hair.

Tearing her vision away from the disappointing weather outside her windows the women took a seat in her chair near the fire, the warm glow only helping slightly chase away her unease. The storm was like any she had seen over the many long years she lived in this small hidden haven. Though the village was for the most part cut off from outside interaction, the news of the genocide happening beyond their borders had met her ears. The storm was no random freak event, it was the herald of an another history altering event...as to what she had no idea of knowing yet. Pondering what this new storm could possibly be foretelling the women was drawn by a small voice.

The young girl she had neglected to acknowledge for the last few minutes drew her attention with a worried frown "Is there something wrong miss Micaela"? The golden haired women turned back to face the young girl and smiled, her parents had left the village to patrol leaving the young elf in her care. She leaned over and gave the young girl a rub on the head, the child smiled her pointed ears twitching from the pressure. "No child everything is fine, I am just keeping an eye out for an new visitors" she sighed as the child frowned. She chided herself for not expressing the truth to the child, everyone in the village new of the impending attack even the children.

Sitting in the soothing glow of the embers wreathed in the stone hearth the girl yawned, as Micaela turned to look her small visitor in the eye the child smiled sleepily. Rolling her eyes and laughing the older women sighed "Come along child, let us get you to bed or you parents will have words for me". Leading the young elf down the solemn and empty corridor of her home Micaela opened a door into a side room, the space decorated only bed a small bed and table in the corner. As she lifted the young girl onto the ancient bed for sleep she felt her tiny hand on hers, the girl yawned "Tell me a story aunt Micaela...please"?

The last remark thrown in when her guardian rolled her eyes the older women relented, sitting down next to the elf Micaela began to think out loud. "A story...hmmm a good story for bedtime" she though as she ran a finger down her chin before latching onto a particular story. The story while not exactly happy was one she herself had only learned relatively recently in relation to her long life. Settling down in the bed next to the excited child she closed her eyes, coughing to clear her throat she began the story.

"Long age, before the time of man and monster, before even the gods of light and dark, this world came into being" she began, starting with the knowledge she told to all she took in since so long ago. She continued "The world was a truly dangerous place at this time, the land was born from fire and stone, the sea formed through the turbulence of the worlds first storms". The child laid back listening intently as he spoke on, "After a long time of the elements fighting for control of the new land, the turmoil ceased and life began to flourish". While she left out some steps in the process she continued "The first of the creatures to rise from the chaos was the massive reptiles, creatures who harnessed the chaos in new and destructive ways. They ruled the world for a very long time, when the false goddess came to earth they fought against her for control". She brushed a stray hair from her face and sighed "The long war ended eventually with their defeat, in mockery of their defeat the goddess divided their land into several smaller countries".

"At this time the other god, the one known as the dark god also took interest in the commotion coming from the now ancient planet she had been yet to touch, she came to the surface and saw the aftermath of the great war" Micaela spoke as the young girl listened entranced. "She took pity on the once mighty beings slaughtered in her rivals wake, she used their blood as a building blocks for some of her first monsters". Micaela smiled as she began to rub the girls hair "She expanded her army in the years to come after arrival, incorporating the blood of many species the light god came to love mammals to begin a new breed of monster to aid the first. After hundreds of years of trial and error both goddesses had build their races, Ilias in man and angel, the dark god in her monsters of all species".

She closed her eyes remembering the battle first hand "Both sides fought for as long as they could, both would not back down as the world they had altered began to break down again. In the destruction the dark serpent remembered the beauty of the world before their arrival, and how much their war had destroyed what nature had crafted to perfection". The small elf frowned sadly as they got to the part of the story all monster kind knew "The dark god was offered a choice by the false light god, seal herself and her kind and the world would be spared. Left with no alternative she gave up freedom to preserve the world she admired and protect her kin". The young elf suddenly poked her and she looked down "Auntie I already know this story, when are you gonna get to the interesting part"? Chuckling at the child's impatience she smiled "The past of our world is necessary in understanding the ending to legend I will now pass onto you young one".

She cleared her throat again and continued "A legend was born around the time of the end of the great monster war, a legend that had been kept secret by a select few since a time much earlier. A land forgotten by all life on the planet, the remnants of the original home of the massive beasts". The child's obvious renewed interest was pleasing as the older women spoke "Legend spoke of the time Ilias broke the world apart, at the center of the division a small chunk of land was left behind from the war. An island beyond the sight of mortals and even the goddess, a world that time had forgotten. A land where life returned to beasts previously slain, a land to dangerous for any other to tread". She gave a final look at the child and finished "Legends say that one day the broken land would return to the knowledge of man, and that the day this happened would mark the end of the rule of mortals on our world". Ending on a spooky note for effect she laughed as the young elf looked up nervously at her, she had never been very good with children and it would seem that her story skills would need to be honed. Proceeding to finish tucking the young girl into the old bed, she kissed the child on the head and let the light burn out.

Returning to the dark hall from whence she came she let her hands fall into the edges of her gown, the story she told the child while an interesting folktale to her was another matter entirely to Micaela. She still remembered the day her mother had shipped her and a band of soldiers to the cliffs of that forsaken isle, the screams of the young angels as they reached the top. The bloodied feathers that rained down on her as the screams became sickening crunches that echoed off the jagged rocks. The memory of that day had haunted her to the current day, her mother forbidding her to engage or return. It was much more convenient for the world to think that mighty Ilias had stricken down the great beasts of the world, but the monster had been less primitive then initially expected.

She had been a member of select few of all races that had agreed that the island would be better to fade from the knowledge of the world. The birds in the nearest village acting as the gatekeepers to the forgotten world. She rubbed her hands together as she remembered the conversation she had with the queen of the harpies a few weeks past. They had met to discuss the eventual return of Ilias's army to the continent, the bird had foolishly suggested that they flee for the island and take their chances. She had refused and told the younger women that honestly it would a more ideal outcome to just wait it out, though she had her doubts about how long her home would be hidden. She wished for her and her peers to live as long as they could, not have everyone she loved be potentially slaughtered in minutes.

Hugging her self in front of the flames she felt sleep begin to tug at her mind, deciding to push the terror of the past and uncertainty of the present aside in favour of preparing to meet the humans in combat eventually.


	5. Chapter 4 A Brush With Death

(Hey there guys, so blown away the response this story has received. Rest assured I will correct the spelling mistakes of the first few chapters, also feel free to check out a map I whipped up of the Jagged Isle - art/The-Jagged-Isle-658516071)

Light flooded her vision as she broke the surface of the water, Granberia thrashed her sluggish limbs as the water churned around her. Through the haze and foam she could see that she was being swept down a very large river, its banks both about a good twenty feet from either side of her. She kicked her legs trying to fight the current, but try as she might the river was too much for her battered body. She tried to conserve her energy to keep above the cold surface of the current, she moved her arms in small ripple motions to attempt a lifting motion.

The merciless river responded to her attempts by steering her path directly into an oncoming rock, the high speed impact knocking the air of Granberia's lungs. She gasped and coughed water as she reflexively clung to the cold stone, the force of the water trying to pry her free felt like it would tear her arms off. Opening her eyes gain weakly she tried to make out the surroundings through the foam, she was closer to the bank then before but still too far to make it herself. Cursing her situation she was about to resign to being sent spiralling down the river for another undefined length of time when the rock moved. The subtle shifting to the side of the structure she clung almost unnoticeable above the shifting waters until it shifted a good foot or two dragging Granberia along with it.

Granberia opened her eyes wide in surprise as she felt herself being dragged through the water once again, but this time by the "rock" pulling her against the tide slowly towards the shore. Clinging to the formation like a barnacle she felt her feet leave the churning rapids and begin a seemingly ever rising journey into the air. Now hanging in the air as she rose the Dragon looked around desperately for anything to grab on to, the trees were still pretty far out of reach, the things were absolutely massive much higher then any other form of plant life she thought possible. She twisted around to try and grab onto her only perch better only to feel the blood drain from her face. When she actually looked down she noticed that there actually seemed to be a platform of sorts beneath her...that is a platform in the sense of the head of a creature who's large eyed stared back at her. The chilling sea blue eye easily bigger then a large wagon wheel seemed to stare right into the dragonkin's soul, as she quickly scanned the area immediately around her she came to the obvious conclusion that the creature she was standing was absolutely massive. Over the mountain of the creatures back, past the large sail and rows of spikes that adorned it she could see its tail still leaving the river. A fear she had yet to know in her life filled her as an earth shaking growl escaped from her living platform, knowing she had little choice she let go of the horn and plummeted through the air.

The cold air would have stole her breath away if she had any to give from her dip in the large river, the impact of the ground painful but not crippling thanks to her armour. She rolled for several yards before rising and making a dash for the tree line. Her panic rising as the sounds of enormous footsteps began to found after her, the same echoing shriek from the raft invaded her ears this time so loud she was sure her eardrums had burst. Pushing the last bit of energy she could muster into her legs she made it past the trunks of the first few enormous trees, their ancient and scarred texture holding her attention before he mind returned to fleeing from the monster behind her. She kept running until she heard the footsteps come to a stop, kept running as she heard the massive animal slam into the trees in an attempt to break through. Kept running as the calls of fury became distant then gone entirely. Drawing to a stop in a small clearing she collapsed amongst a patch of odd ferns and mosses, she flopped onto her back to stare at the bright sunny sky above her. What had that monstrosity been and what kind of messed world was this island? The creature in the snippets she had seen seemed to be reptilian in some nature, aquatic and terrestrial at the same time from the fins and speed it showed on land as well. The very aura of the creature she had sensed seemed almost alien in nature...like something that shouldn't exist but simply does.

Laughing in complete exhaustion she nearly had a heart attack when she heard the bushes rustling to her left, her hand flying to her waist where her sword would be normally she remembered it was lost on the raft. Her panic turned to confusion when the rustling turned into giggling coming from the wall of vegetation all around her. "Who's there...show yourself" she said shakily trying to sound authoritative despite being completely exhausted, the voice that reached her was all too familiar and she relaxed. "Geez Berry you are still no fun when it comes to scares...or teasing in general" the Succubus Queen said as he stepped clear from the line of man height foliage, she looked not much better then Granberia herself. Alma Elma's usually attractive attire was cut to near ribbons and she was sporting a pretty nasty looking burn on her left leg. The dragon frowned and stepped forward as the succubus painfully sat down on the edge of a fallen log, Granberia knelt down to take a better look at the oddly textured wound on her fellow knights calf.

"See anything you like Granberry" The succubus said playfully before coughing painfully, her lungs probably singed in the same incident that gave her the burn. "Would you be quite for a second wile I check you" The dragon said quietly while blushing furiously as she she examined the wound, being a dragon she had a pretty good idea of how to deal with fire damage and how to treat it. The burn while nasty on the surface would be fine in a few days without much treatment, part of being a monster was the perks it gave in the form of supernatural regeneration. "So what happened to you anyway" Granberia asked as she sat down next to Alma Elma, the succubus rubbed her neck in tired thought before chuckling.

"When we hit the cave we lost a few of you, you were thrown clear of the wreckage and Erubetie was pulled along as well stuck to the wood from the impact. Me and Tamamo did our best to keep the group together while we looked for you guys, we made our way into a large volcanic area north of hear I think" she said as she began to rub her injured leg. Alma Elma continued with a grim expression " We were set upon by a group of these large lizard like fire monsters, they were so fast and vicious that we could do little to keep them at bay. Me and Tamamo got the worst of the damage, it would have been funny watching Tamamo run around with her tails on fire in another circumstance".

Granberia actually chuckled at her sisters last comment before she settled back into listen, "They managed to force us back to a volcanic vent and I think they were trying to force us in, probably would have succeeded if not for the big one coming". Granberia immediately thought to the monster in the river before Alma Elma continued "It was a massive monster, so red it almost looked made out of magma. It drove the smaller ones off and then turned its attention on us, Tamamo told us to fall back and she would keep its attention. We ran and and well...I was flying while the group rested below and that is when I spotted you" she finished with a shrug before wincing in pain.

Granberia folded her arms as she pondered Alma's story, Tamamo was last seen facingdown a different super sized monster, Erubetie was Alipheese knows where...and they had to look after a battered and scared group in an alien land. She slammed her hand into the ground in anger startling the pitifully moaning succubus, "Its not fair! This was supposed to be our safe haven...our new home. Now we have to contend with monsters we have never seen before and the others could all be dead"! She fumed until she felt the other women lean her head against her shoulder, the blushed crimson as the soft voice of the succubus soothed her tension "We will be alright Granberry...we will find the others, we will make a living for ourselves here. Everything will be alright". The dragon sighed as she felt some of the tension drain her body, she leaned her head atop Alma Elma's and let her eyes close for a moment. The two of them enjoying the peace of each others presence in this hostile new land.

That peace was shattered when the sounds of enormous footfalls reached theirs ears from further into the trees, the two heavenly knights surged to their feet as the sounds trees being knocked over continued to move closer to their clearing. Too tired and battered to be able to run and not exactly equipped to fight either the two could only wait for their stalker to show itself.


End file.
